I think I have always considered myself a healthy eater, but it wasn’t until I actually started eating healthy that I realized I never really was. As my first year of college was passing by I couldn’t help but notice that my body did change (maybe not drastically) but I had definitely put on that dreaded freshman ~15~, or so…

Of course once I realized this my first instinct was to pop open Pinterest and begin exploring all sorts of wonderful ~diets~ I could begin to lose the weight. What I hadn’t realized at that time is that the word “diet” is why I’ve been doing it all wrong. Yes, diets do work…I’m not saying that they don’t. However most of the time, the weight comes back.

That’s when I decided to try out a ~healthy lifestyle~. I had already been working out on a pretty steady basis&my diet is the only thing that needed changing. So I started becoming more aware of all the carbs that I eat. I started to replace those delicious looking fries with a salad. Instead of eating brownies and cookies for desert I had fruit or yogurt. Most importantly, I only drank WATER (and coffee, I can’t give up coffee).

Yes, i know, it sounds pretty dreadful and in the beginning…it was. But here I am about a month and a half later (which is not that long of a time) and I feel ~amazing~! I am in a much better mood every day, I feel confident, I am more motivated to be productive, work out, and continue this lifestyle. What is even more shocking is that I didn’t realize how terrible I had been feeling until I started to feel this great! I didn’t even think that it was possible to feel ~healthy~, but I can’t think of a better word to describe it.

Believe me, I have done my share of “diets” and they have worked! But I dreaded them the entire time. So I highly recommend trying out a healthy lifestyle to anybody who is willing to give it a shot. Maybe it isn’t to lose weight…maybe you wan’t to do it to gain confidence, feel healthier or be happier. Either way, it’s worth it.

College has always been a very unknown territory for me. I mean, I understand why people go& why it’s important but I never knew what to expect my first year going into it. Was I going to hate it or love it? There were so many decisions to make such as deciding on a school, major, and who you’re going to room with; and once I had made all of those decisions I was left with one more: Do I rush a sorority?

For a long time, this was not even a question for me, I wanted to be in a sorority; however, as time went on I heard many negative things about it such as “you’re just paying for friends”, “all the girls are so fake”, and “it’s just a giant popularity contest”. Now here I am, finishing up my first year as a sorority girl and I can reassure you that noneof those things are true. So here’s what I’ve learned since becoming a sorority girl:

You will always have something to do. Whether it’s studying, binge watching Netflix, getting food, or going out- at least one of your sisters will always join.

Each and every one of your sisters will be willing to help you no matter the favor.

You’ve automatically gained access to 100+ closets. Any outfit that you will ever need, one of your sisters is bound to have it.

You will never ever be alone. Living with girls from your sorority will basically guarantee that there will never be a lone moment while you’re at school.

The girls you become friends with are some of the most genuine people you have ever met.

You are given the opportunity to raise money for a countless amount of different causes while having a fun time with your friends. Whether it’s your own philanthropy or another chapter’s, you are always guaranteed to have a good time with your sisters.

You have people who make college just a little bit less stressful& a lot more exciting. Being in a sorority gives you access to social events, study parties, and The Bachelor screenings to make your student life just a little less worrisome.

They become your home away from home. Not having your parents/siblings with you at college is definitely tough at times. But your sisters will become your new home to take care of you when you’re sick, watch movies with you, and hangout.

You will gain 200+ followers on Instagram.

You have found your forever friends. Although college is only the four years, I can guarantee that the girls I’ve met through rushing a sorority are girls that will stay in my life forever.

In the end, I am beyond grateful I chose to be in a sorority& I hope that this will nudge somebody in the right direction to rush a sorority when they come to college too!

About a week ago, I met with a family to interview with them as a potential summer nanny. The interview went great, I got the job; however I left with the realization that I had no idea who I was.

It had all come down to the last 5 minutes of the interview, when I turned to the two little girls I would most likely be spending my summer with and said “Do you girls have any questions you want to ask me?” One of the girls, Cailyn responded eagerly with the one question I never realized I did not have an answer to: “What are your hobbies?”

I have absolutely ~none~. Sure, there are things I enjoy doing, but there is nothing that I could say I am truly passionate about- and I want to be passionate about something, anything! Truth is, my entire life I’ve been a quitter: you name it and I’ve probably tried it. Ballet, swimming, soccer, drawing, running, dancing, figure skating, etc. But I have never stuck to a single hobby. Now here I am, a freshman in college slowly becoming an “adult”, yet I have absolutely no passions.

That’s when I decided that starting now I would try to find myself; my passions, hobbies, and goals. After all, if I’m going to be paying $30,000 a year for the “best four years of my life” the least I could do is figure out is who I am. I guess that’s how I ended up here: practically talking to myself on a “blog” that will hopefully relate to at least one other person. Hope you enjoy!